Tag: religion

Walk Out Your Faith
Galatians 5:2–15

I’ve probably shared this before; forgive me. A number of years ago, I was in a bible study. In it was a woman who said, “I don’t believe in the God of the Old Testament, only the New One. Only the God of the New Testament is a God of Love.”

Our study leaders were not the most theologically conservative. Even so, they quickly (and gently) corrected her. Yet, I know many people like her who were raised with the “hellfire and brimstone” type of sermons and teachings which predominately used the Old Testament to cause people to be terrified of God.

The Jews of Paul’s time weren’t so much afraid of God as they were not following the rules. The rules were the source of fear alongside the religious leaders who instilled fear.

This same affliction has been part of the church for generations. People followed rules because they could “safely” belong following the rules. Of course, that does not mean they understood the rationale behind the rules, or believed it.

Rules can be good and beneficial. Having an understanding of eternal consequences of decisions is also good. When they become the religion or “proof”, they will often defy our relationship with God.

The biggest victim in that situation is grace. People like the woman in the story, or those who experienced hellfire & brimstone sermons often become unable to see God’s grace. That inability to see God’s grace then becomes the inability to see God’s love.

Paul’s words to the Galatians were to remind them that they had God’s grace. To put an exaggerated point on it, he was telling them that they traded a city of gold for a rotten turnip. They embraced the rotten turnip, and dumped the city of gold.

There is, of course, the danger of developing in such a way of living needing grace that the way of living leads you to slavery. However, willfully (or ignorantly) skipping out on grace may be far worse.

Being grace-filled is counter-cultural. It has been for quite some time. Being grace-filled is not being a doormat, it is giving people what they don’t deserve…God’s love.
Read the scriptures for this devotional on BibleGateway.com
- If you were asked to live out your faith in grace, what would that look like?
- How does living out grace work with those with whom you disagree?
- If you were to choose grace or rules, which would it be? Which does your life display?
※Prayer※

Lord, let your grace flow in, through, and out of us more and more. Amen.
2021-02-03
Mighty

Judges 2:6–15; 2 Corinthians 10:1–11

At this point, there are a lot of stirred up people. You might even be one of them. The question is, what really is stirring you?

Is it a belief that the current president is a lunatic and must be destroyed (metaphorically or in reality)? Is it a belief that the current president is the righteous leader that will lead the country to some sort of glory?

In the middle of this mess are Christians. Some are confused. Many are disgusted. Some champion the president. Some champion the president-elect. Theoretically, all treasure Jesus Christ as Lord.

That’s the rub.

One of the constant mutterings of the church (on myriad “sides” of many issues) is about a Christian nation. A real Christian nation wouldn’t [fill in the blank]. What if we never knew what a Christian nation was? What if, there has never been a “true” Christian nation in history?

When we look at what happens after the death of Joshua, it’s easy (and understandable) to put much of the blame on Joshua and that’s generations’ leaders. On the other hand, no one forced the Israelites to pick up the patterns of the defeated people, especially the Baal and Astarte’s worship.

In far too many respects, the mythos of a Christian nation is as spiritually deadly as the mythos of an Israelite nation upon the death of Joshua (and his peers). “We are a/the [religion] nation.” It can become a great deceit.

Thus, God’s word is sharper than any sword. Paul’s words in letters were far sharper than his presence. Why? Often a letter is missing so much of the feeling and emotion of presence.

There is a reason why emojis and emoticons have become such a part of the digital world…text only goes so far. However, sometimes the lack of emotion in the text makes it the very thing we need.

Just as Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was one of love, his previous letter(s) had apparently earned him a reputation.

God’s letter, the Bible, is much the same. It is God’s story to us. We do miss a lot of God’s emotions. Yet perhaps we need a lot of sharpening.

It was my hope that we would be beyond this. It was my hope that we would be stepping toward healing. That is not the case.

While it will be easy to point at one president or one political party, the truth is that we are as much the issue as anyone else. The truth is that we are in as great a need of God’s word shaping and sharpening us as anyone else.

※Reflection※

What is something in your life that needs sharpening by God’s word?

※Prayer※

Lord, let your word shape us, and your love strengthen to be your hands, feet, and words in this world. Amen.

2021-01-13
Freely Abiding

Titus 3:1–11

The next wave is coming. All around the globe, the next wave of COVID is coming. Countries that thought they were done are back to a true lockdown state. In the US, certain states are returning to more limited engagements.

It’s hard for those of us in the US. We really do not understand, or even often accept, these limitations. So much of our cultural heritage is freedom of movement for the individual and the freedom of association.

Christians used to be known as the ones who would take care of the unwell. Christians would take care of plague victims. Christians are the reason that hospitals and care homes even exist.

Now, however, we find ourselves in a weird place. Society has declared that the better thing is for us to isolate ourselves from one another. Society does have a point. Yet, humanity cannot exist for long in isolation without some sort of outlet. Christians have long stood in the gap.

What has become the hot button US issue has become the impact upon the freedom to practice our faith. Like every other religion, our gathering sizes are being limited. We are not alone.

What we have, though, is an interesting conflict. There are now heated exchanges within communities about what a faithful witness is. The long-term ramifications of this situation remain to be played out.

※Reflection※

When it comes to faithful witness, is your initial response following the authorities, or freely expressing your understanding of freedom of religion? What are the weaknesses and strengths of both approaches? How can we respect the expressions of one another as faithful followers of Christ?

※Prayer※

Lord, help us to be faithful to you and full of mercy, grace, and understanding of others. Amen.

2020-11-15
Force or Choice

Matthew 20:20–28; Matthew 22:15–22

The author Robert Heinlein once wrote, “When you vote, you are exercising political authority, you’re using force. And force, my friends, is violence. The supreme authority from which all other authorities are derived.”

There has been a transformation in our society where this seems to be truer now than when Heinlein wrote it. What may be depressing is that it means that democracy is in many ways no better than any political system. Humanity, through politics, shows its selfishness.

During the last presidential election (and probably during this one, as well), there will be people proclaiming that one person or political party is better than the other (especially in regards to the multi-sided political scene that has been forcibly trimmed into 2-sided). They will judge and condemn those that appear to support the other, even if that decision is the perceived lesser of two evils.

There will be those that will choose a different political party (there are more than 2). There will be those that will not vote. It is the latter that provides the greatest insight into ourselves.

They are those that believe that a vote is just as much Caesar’s as was the denarius. This is the darkness of politics and even a republic such as the US. Heinlein’s comments may sound harsh. If one compares it to people’s reaction when the “wrong” party gets power, we can see that we subconsciously understand the reality of power.

Jesus’ concerns regarding power are not small. There is a very valid reason why many over the years have claimed that the church was corrupted when Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity and then made it the official religion of the realm.

On the other hand, if you have a glass of water and do not hand it to a person dying of thirst, what kind of Christian are you? This is the debate that is truly at the heart of being a Christian in a democracy or republic.

Voting is power. Sometimes it feels as if it not. However, if all are of one mind it is indeed quite powerful. Power to coerce is the power of violence. This is not what we are called to do.

On the other hand, the power to vote is also a responsibility to care for our fellow citizens, and to put a voice to guide the path the country walks. This is the voice and path that can find justice, compassion, and mercy for the least, the last, and the lost.

※Prayer※

Jesus, as we look to you for guidance in these trying times, may your servant’s heart guide our decisions. Amen.

2020-10-17
Get To Your Seats

Luke 14:7–14

When I was young, my father insisted on making sure I was appropriately experienced in “high” culture. We went to ballet and opera. My dad said that we were sitting in the Grand Tier (still sounds a bit grandiose). This was the tier above the Opera (i.e.,floor) Seats, and below the Upper Tier, and certainly not the box seats. This would be so we had the best seats to see everything.

He was right. We were just high enough that barring a really tall conductor (I remember one), our view of the stage allowed to see everything from the top of the sets to the artists’ feed (really important for ballet, not so much for opera). Oddly, the Opera seats were more expensive, and the crane-your-neck-uncomfortably-for-hours box seats were even more so.

Which seats were the right seats? That depends on why you were there. For those in the box seats, sure there were those for the arts. There were those that were there to be seen. There were those who were there because it was expected of them.

Depending on the individual and event, what seat a person might choose to sit in changes. For some people, going to a party is a high-stress environment, and they’ll gravitate toward a “safe” person (if there is one) or a dark corner or wall to “hide”.

There’s also that person who will jump to the center of the room because they are the life of the party, or they will be.

When Jesus talks about the seating at the banquet, it about a lot of things. What we often don’t talk about in this parable is the parallel to Gentile life. This may have been less about the “honor” seating, but more about how the “pure” “religious” “sanctified” Jews were emulating the behavior of those they despised and feared.

This a jump for sure from the text to the context. However, when we see the behavior of the powerful or popular there is a strong tendency to emulate it. Romans were in charge. This is how the Romans behaved; therefore, it seems reasonable that the oppressed would copy it, not because they wanted to, but because it’s a natural response to avoid gaining the wrong attention of those in power.

If this is indeed the case (again, which is reasonable), then we have a possible case of syncretism, a combining of two different (often competing) worldviews and/or religions.

When a person was given the seat of honor due to their religious position in a non-religious setting or honor due to their secular position in a religious setting there is a mixing of two different worldviews that should be in tension with one another, and not in harmony.

※Questions※

1) Where do you see your political worldview and your religious worldview in harmony? Where do you see them in conflict?

2) Are you comfortable where your politics influence your religion? Does your religion affect your politics?

3) Do you evaluate people’s religious affections based upon their politics? Do you assume a person’s politics based upon their religion?

※Prayer※

Jesus, help us surrender our will to you, that you are the Lord of our religion and our politics. Amen.

2020-10-13
What a Feast!

Matthew 22:1–14; John 6:53–58

When you’ve been invited to a party or some sort of celebration, have you ever received a little card that had you select from entree and/or other options? Or have you been to a buffet and been overwhelmed by the selection (or underwhelmed)?

Over the years there have been many tales of what the feasts in Heaven would look like. Some have used it to recruit people to their church or religion. For many, a gathering of family barbecues every day would be fantastic. So, of course, that’s would be what Heaven would be like (all the social introverts just shuddered)!

Making assumptions about things like that is often unwise, as it can lead to weird thoughts and even bad theology. The more serious part of that is that the primacy of feasts in the Scriptures is not to be diminished. This is especially true when we remember the feast that Jesus left to fill the gap while we wait for his return.

The feast that we have, though, is peculiar. Those who have been long in the church have been inured to the strangeness that is the Eucharist. As we read in John…eating human flesh and drinking human blood? If someone came to you and said that…how would you respond?

We read this and we immediately translate it into Christian language and thinking. If someone like Jeffrey Dahmer (real-life cannibal) or Hannibal Lecter (fictional cannibal) said something like this, we would not have such a Christianized response. That is the horror and revulsion that his hearers and likely even his disciples felt when they heard these words.

The Christian side of it is that we see the “spiritual” side of this as perfectly reasonable. We do have to keep in mind that for years Christians were accused of cannibalism because of the words of Jesus, and the regular Love Feast.

The Christian side of it also continues in two ways. First, by associated with blood, Jesus was associating with the Jewish belief of life was in the blood (from Levitical law). Second, by associating with the bread, Jesus was tying himself to the daily necessity (and often only food) of bread.

Lastly, though not often talked about, is the Jewish concept of eating the word of God. This was the Jewish practice of licking (literally) off a slate upon which Scripture was written (the Shema would make the most sense) with honey poured on it. There is some historical question if this was a 1st Century thing or if it developed later. However, there is some precedence from Ezekiel 3:3 who ate the word of God on a scroll.

Also, we understand that Jesus was the incarnate word of God (John 1:1–4). Thus, eating the word of God takes on a completely different understanding.

Especially now, when we are not taking Communion (Eucharist/Love Feast) in the communal way we have in the recent past, it is even more important to understand the gravitas of it. It isn’t just a little juice and a wafer (or bread)…it is the Word of God.

※Prayer※

Lord, John Wesley taught us that your feast is a means by which you deliver your grace to us. Let us not take it for granted and approach your banquet table with thanksgiving [eucharistia]. Amen.

※Questions※

1) How would you explain the why of Communion to a non-believer? How do you explain “eating flesh and drinking blood” without it sounding weirder than it already does?

2) Thinking of the king’s feast (Matthew 22:1–14), what does this tell you about coming to “the table” for communion?

2020-08-20
I Hate You

Luke 14:25–35; 1 John 3:14–18

So, who do YOU hate? Your mom, dad, husband, wife, significant other, son, daughter, brother, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle…Really, who do you hate?

Trump, Clinton, Bin Laden, and many others have been (or are) hated. It could be because of politics. It could be because they murdered people. It might be something that you think they may have done.

This passage in Luke is a hard passage for many. Except in cases of abuse or other mistreatment, hating one’s family is out of the question. A religion that has long considered itself (especially in the West) a “family-centered” religion will struggle that which it says it is based upon. “Family values”, a decades-old purportedly Christian value, are questionable if we are to hate our family.

Then John, a disciple of writes that we are to love our brothers and sisters, and that anyone who hates their brother or system is a murderer (even if said brother or sister still lives), and because of that they don’t have eternal life. Confused, yet?

So, how does this work, exactly? Well, we’re back to the age-old problem of English versus Greek. Just like there are more words for love in Greek than in English, there’s the same problem with hate. Hate isn’t quite hate, sort of.

When Jesus talks about hate, it refers more to loyalty that like, dislike, love, or hate. Jesus sought to shock people into an understanding that they may have to choose where their loyalty lay. Was their loyalty with family, or was their loyalty with Jesus?

Hate may seem overly dramatic, however, in the cultural context, hate was the understanding. Only a hateful child, parent, spouse, and so forth would choose Jesus over family. In that time, the time shortly thereafter, and it appears now, family loyalty is against Jesus.

Which brings us to John’s words. His hate is more along the lines of what we think of when we hear the word hate. The kind of hate that blindly rages and cares more about hurting another than blessing the enemy. This is the context of John’s hate.

We are called to pray for the blessings of our adversaries. Even more so are we to seek the benefit of our brothers and sisters in Christ. John’s primary concern is not the family ties of blood and culture that Jesus brought to light. John’s concern was what we at Generations call framily (friends who are like family).

This framily is found within the body of Christ. Because of its place within the body of Christ, it should not have divided loyalties. Of course, when it comes to human frailty, we all know that isn’t the case.

As we work through our hopes and fears of COVID and elections, we will often be tempted to hate our brothers and sisters in Christ. We must strive against that, for a house divided against itself will not stand, and then what would we say to Jesus?

※Prayer※

Jesus, you prayed to the Father that we would be one. Help us to be united in you, while we yet still remain individuals with different thoughts and experiences. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Is there someone in the body of Christ with whom you are angry? Pray for them. Ask for the peace of the Holy Spirit to fall upon and fill both them and you.

2) How can you work to be one with your brothers and sisters in Christ while you have differing opinions?

3) How does the concept of Jesus before family still cause you and others trials?

2020-08-13
Calling

Matthew 11:16–19; Matthew 12:22–28; Matthew 21:23–27

Authenticity is appreciated. Hypocrisy is condemned. That is nothing new.

What is more, the issue than even whether something is called authentic or hypocritical is when something is declared such (either way). Both Jesus’ and John’s ministries could have been declared authentic. With both men, you got what you got.

By Jesus’ own words we see how each of them approached their ministry was quite different. Jesus wasn’t making a comparison. It was an observation.

John followed a historic precedent by wearing a hair shirt and eating cakes of locust and honey. This certainly wasn’t a requirement, but a number of respected Jewish sects (the Essenes, for example) followed this sort of practice.

Other than preaching and miracles, Jesus acted more like one of the guys. He went to parties. He hung out with people.

Two very different takes.

The religious leaders had problems with both and attacked both for their practices. In the case of John, it does seem somewhat risky as the practices were followed by respected people. Jesus’ practices were pretty normal, and yet they were challenged, too.

Both men were accused, basically, of being false, and different measures were used to condemn or disregard them.

We see the real intent (as if we didn’t know) with the exorcisms that Jesus performed. The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of being in league (if not in the house of) the devil. He was doing the same thing they were, but because it was Jesus, it must be the devil.

We can reasonably infer that there was nothing John or Jesus could do while remaining faithful to their calling, that would satisfy the religious leaders. That is a sad indictment. When religious practice and traditions find nothing of value in faithfully filled callings, it puts practice, tradition, and even religion in question.

※Prayer※

Holy Spirit, help us to be faithful to your call on our lives. Help us to set aside practices and traditions that inhibit faithfully fulfilling our call. Guide us also into wisdom and truth, especially through others, so that we do not deceive ourselves. Amen.

※Questions※

1) Have you ever experienced a tension between something you were taught was “right”, but seemed to go against your calling? How did you resolve it?

2020-07-05
Athanasian Creed

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.

For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit.

The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible.The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal.

And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.

As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.

So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord.

And yet not three Lords, but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity, to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.

The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten. Likewise also the Holy Spirit is of the Father, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons, one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other, none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together, and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds, and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world; perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting; equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead, and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.

Who although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; one; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God; one altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven; He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.

This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

2020-06-07
3 is 1 and 1 is 3

Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 28:16–20; 1 Peter 1:1–2 (read online ⧉)

This is one of those odd “Liturgical” Sundays in the Christian year. It set aside to specifically observe the creedal declaration of and faith in the Trinity. We have Sundays set aside for Advent, Lent, Christmas, Easter, Pentecost. These are event-based. It’s not that they don’t have doctrinal pieces in them; their beginning is based upon an event.

There is an additional oddity, especially for people who call the Bible the Word of God…Trinity appears nowhere, at least not as an explicit term. That’s also what makes this Sunday interesting. A foundational theological basis for orthodox Christianity is not found explicitly in the Bible, yet is one of the key doctrines upon which orthodoxy is defined (i.e., Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses being non-Trinitarian believers).

One of the biggest things that the Trinity teaches us by its very example is that not everything can be explained by science or even a sound rationalization of the faith. The Trinity can only be believed (ultimately) by faith. The concept that God (the Father) is God, Jesus is God, the Holy Spirit is God, while, God (the Father) is neither Jesus nor the Holy Spirit, Jesus is neither the Holy Spirit nor God (the Father), and the Holy Spirit is not God (the Father) nor Jesus (An aside: even writing that sentence, which is a simplified excerpt of the Athanasian Creed, hurt my head a bit).

The beauty of the Trinity is that by the above (for example), we are automatically brought into the realm of knowing that we can not fully understand God. Which is good. When we think we fully understand God, we are in deep danger of having made our own god who is not God.

While the Trinity does not expressly as a word in the Scriptures, that does not mean it is not present. We need to start with the beginning, though. God is one. One of the biggest dangers with the Trinity is that the confusion that we are talking about 3 gods, rather than 1 God.

In the Gospels, Matthew has the 2 best almost explicit statements regarding the Trinity. With Jesus’ baptism, Jesus is baptized, “laid upon” by the Holy Spirit, and blessed (and proclaimed) by God (the Father). All 3 persons of the Trinity are present and noted as being present (rather than in other places where they can be assumed to be present).

In many respects, however, it is Jesus’ Commission of the Disciples (now Apostles) to baptize in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that there is an expression of the doctrine and persons of the Trinity (yet, still no word “Trinity”).

While this is so, there is something critically important in Peter’s letter. Peter all but declares the Trinity in his opening. There are several reasons this is important. First, it’s Peter. His place as one of Jesus’ core disciples, and his place as commissioned leader of the church (by Jesus) makes his words critically important to our understanding of the church.

Before the “doctrine” was declared, before the Athanasian Creed was written, before the understood writing of the Gospels, Peter brought the Trinity to the church.

In lieu of prayer or questions, and in honor of the tradition in more “liturgical” churches to speak it on Trinity Sunday, below is the Athanasian Creed.
※Athanasian Creed※

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic[1] Faith. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this, That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.

For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit.

The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible.

The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal.

And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.

As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.

So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Spirit Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.

So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.

So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord.

And yet not three Lords, but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity, to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten.

The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten. Likewise also the Holy Spirit is of the Father, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons, one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other, none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together, and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation, that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds, and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world; perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting; equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead, and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.

Who although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ; one; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God; one altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven; He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

2020-06-07